“For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.” (James 1:3-4 NLT)
In my opinion, there are three types of runners: the non-runners who think voluntary exertion is bizarre, the fair-weather runners who will run under ideal conditions, and finally, the endurance runners who will show up and push themselves no matter what.
Endurance is defined as the ability or strength to continue or last, especially despite fatigue, stress, or other adverse conditions. Endurance athletes are accustomed to stretching their bodies and minds beyond their comfort zones. They keep going for miles and miles, despite pain and exhaustion. They adapt themselves to being outdoors in severe weather conditions. Consistently pushing themselves to do hard things allows them to develop physical endurance and mental resilience.
The same principle applies to developing enduring faith. All of us experience adversity at some point in life, but how we handle suffering varies. For some, faith is a foreign concept. Then there are those who embrace faith when all is going well or for social support but give up when things get hard. Finally, there are those for whom faith is an integral part of their lives. They see suffering as a training ground to practice faith.
When conditions are hard and we are in the midst of pain, our trust in God is stretched to the limit. Faith is no longer comfortable or convenient. We are pushed beyond the threshold of our personal power, of all that is within our control, and we have to rely on God completely. This is what develops endurance. When our faith is stretched, our perseverance grows. Enduring trust makes us perfect and complete, needing nothing more.
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